The Pulaski Yankees (Rookie; Appalachian League) furthered their efforts to upgrade Motor Mile Field at Calfee Park this season with the addition of a new party deck, creating a popular destination and earning the Best Ballpark Improvement Under $1M Award citation in the annual Ballpark Digest awards.
“It’s very exciting,” Yankees general manager Betsy Haugh said of the award. “We’re very proud of everything that we’ve done in our ballpark over the past couple of years, and to see that culminate in recognition for one of our newest features in the party deck is exciting for us.”
Leading up to the 2019 season, the Yankees completed a round of renovations to Calfee Park, resulting in a new walk-in souvenir store and an expansion of the ballpark down the third-base line with a new concourse, concession areas, and seating. Adding into the improvements was the new three-tiered party deck angled toward home plate, which the Yankees created by cutting into foul territory down the left-field line.
Officially named the PSK Party Deck, the result of a multi-year naming rights agreement with local country station 101.7 PSK, the new area taps into current fan experience trends by providing a setting that is more social than traditional fixed seating. Creating a more social atmosphere was an objective the Yankees had in mind as they planned the project.
“The goal was to give fans a new way to enjoy baseball at Calfee Park,” said Haugh. “A party deck is obviously a more social setting, so people can go out there and grab a drink, or they can just sit in a different type of seat, whether they’re huddled around one of our hi-top tables just talking more conversationally. It’s just a different way for fans to enjoy baseball, and I think we really were able to accomplish that.”
For the 2019 season, fans could access the space with any gameday ticket. It proved to be a strong addition to the ballpark, becoming a popular destination throughout the season. “We saw that the party deck was full pretty much every night, which was exciting,” said Haugh.
Along with the benefits of more space and a social environment, the Yankees were able to leverage the party deck into a refined strategy for beer sales. Adding more beer to the ballpark’s lineup was part of this mix, as was the offering of a 20-ounce mason jar that fans could purchase for $10—with the first pour included in the price—and bring back to Calfee Park throughout the season for $4 beers.
Ultimately, the PSK Party Deck also fits into the larger narrative of the resurgence of Calfee Park and Appalachian League baseball in Pulaski. Prior to the 2015 season, there was uncertainty surrounding the future of professional baseball in Pulaski, but solid ownership and a stable affiliation with New York have been catalysts for turning around the franchise’s fortunes.
The Yankees have since ridden a wave of player-development facility upgrades and improved fan amenities to achieve new attendance success, and that trend continued when the Yankees drew a total of 95,897 fans in 2019. Among the attendance milestones achieved during the 2019 campaign included a new franchise single-season record for the fifth-straight year, and an Appalachian League single-season record for the second consecutive season.
The PSK Party Deck ties into that trend, because of how it reflects the Yankees’ approach to upgrading the historic Calfee Park—which opened in 1935 as a Works Progress Administration project, is the oldest ballpark in the Appalachian League, and was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. Throughout the process of upgrading the facility, the Yankees have tried to keep its historic nature in mind while improving fan amenities and player facilities.
“I think this was just another step in making our ballpark a little bit more modern with some of the amenities that fans are accustomed to in minor league and professional baseball,” said Haugh. “So this was just another step towards us being able to do that, but we still have retained those historical elements that allow the ballpark to retain that small-town feel that we really enjoy as well.”
This also furthers the goal of providing an affordable entertainment, something the Yankees believe is crucial to their success.
“I really think that the focus on family-friendly and affordable entertainment is something that is just so key to Minor League Baseball and is really a driver behind the success for so many teams within the industry,” said Haugh. “I mean, we pride ourselves on being one of the most affordable ballparks in the country and our league, and we really see that our fans appreciate that, through spoken comments that say ‘wow, those prices are great,’ or that they continue to come back enjoy the game, eat at the ballpark and not break the bank. I really think that focus on affordability and putting families and fans first is really what helps teams throughout the industry be successful.”
Images courtesy Pulaski Yankees.
Past Ballpark Digest Best Ballpark Improvement (Under $1M) Award Winners
2018: Round Rock Express
2017: Modern Woodmen Park
2016: The Perch
2019 Awards
MLB Broadcaster of the Year: Marty Brennaman
Best New Logo/Branding: Fayetteville Woodpeckers
Best New Food Item: Crabzilla, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Best New Concessions Experience: Pensacola Blue Wahoos
MiLB Broadcaster of the Year: Jesse Goldberg-Strassler
Promotion of the Year: Funko Fridays
Best Ballpark Improvement (Over $1M): City of Baseball Museum
Ballpark of the Year: Las Vegas Ballpark
Team of the Year: Las Vegas Aviators
Best Ballpark Renovation: American Family Fields of Phoenix